US hits back after Taliban raids rattle Trump’s peace bid

The US launched an airstrike in response to Taliban attacks, throwing the nascent peace process into grave doubt.

Donald Trump touts his ‘very good’ relations with the Taliban. Picture: AP

The US launched an airstrike against Taliban fighters to defend Afghan forces on Wednesday, an American military spokesman said, as violence ­spiralled after a string of deadly ­attacks by the insurgents, throwing the country’s nascent peace process into grave doubt.

News of the airstrike in southern Helmand province — the first in 11 days — came hours after US President Donald Trump told reporters he had had a “very good” chat with Taliban political chief Mullah Baradar, who on Saturday signed a historic deal with Washington to withdraw foreign forces.

“The relationship is very good that I have with the mullah. We had a good, long conversation today and, you know, they want to cease the violence, they’d like to cease violence also,” he had said.

Since the signing in Doha, however, militants have ramped up violence against Afghan forces, casting a pall over peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban, due to begin next Tuesday.

Spokes­­man for US Forces Afghanistan Sonny Leggett tweeted that the US airstrike targeted Taliban fighters who were “actively attacking” an Afghan forces checkpoint in Helmand.

“This was a defensive strike to disrupt the attack,” he tweeted. “We call on the Taliban to stop needless attacks and uphold their commitments. As we have demonstrated, we will defend our partners when required.”

He said insurgents had carried out 43 attacks on checkpoints in Helmand on Tuesday alone.

Provincial police spokesman Mohammad Zaman Hamdard told AFP: “In the past two days, we have witnessed the most intense Taliban attacks in Helmand. They have attacked several districts and many military bases.”

Elsewhere, the insurgents killed at least 20 Afghan soldiers and policemen in a series of overnight attacks in other provinces, government officials said.

“Taliban fighters attacked at least three army outposts in Imam Sahib district of Kunduz last night, killing at least 10 soldiers and four police,” said Safiullah Amiri of the provincial council.

Mr Trump has touted the peace agreement as a way to end the bloody, nearly two decades-long US military presence in ­Afghanistan. Under terms of the deal, US and other foreign forces will leave Afghanistan within 14 months, subject to Taliban security guarantees and a pledge by the insurgents to hold talks with the national government in Kabul.

The agreement includes a com­mitment to exchange 5000 Taliban prisoners held by the ­Afghan government in return for 1000 captives — something the militants have cited as a prerequisite for talks but which President Ashraf Ghani has refused to do.

Baradar called on Mr Trump to “not allow anyone to take actions that violate the terms of the agreement thus embroiling you even further in this prolonged war”, ­according to the Taliban transcript.

AFP